Rome wasn't built in a day.

The hard truth is that there just aren't quick fixes for most things in life. It takes time to gain experience and build up an expertise in most fields.

That being said, other abilities are easy to pick up after just a few minutes, as this helpful Quora thread pointed out. These tricks can really save you a lot of time and hassle when it comes to life's little problems.

Here are some of the best responses from the thread, with a few tips of our own thrown in:

SEE ALSO: 4 ways to outsmart any multiple-choice test

1. Learn to change a tire

"It's very straightforward, but it's worth thinking about before you need it. Here's a video."—Ben Mordecai

2. Identify the freshest strawberries

"Smell them. If they smell like strawberries, buy them; they will taste divine. If they look gorgeous but have no smell, they will have no taste. Simple and foolproof."—Cyndi Perlman Fink 

3. ...and oranges

"Pick up the orange or grapefruit. If it feels light, it's not juicy and will taste rather woody. Go through the bin picking the ones that feel heaviest compared to oranges or grapefruits of a similar size. They'll be the tastiest ones."—Karen Opas

We all know that accessories can make or break the outfit, but which ones are flying off the shelves this season?

This spring, there will be lots of shoes, hats, and jewelry to complement the vibrant, spring styles we'll be seeing everywhere. From the return of the tassel earrings to the continuing rise of athleisure, you'll be begging to add these pieces to your wardrobe. 

Check out our favorite accessories for spring 2017 — all with examples under $100. 

Neutral Wedges

If spring shoes had a mascot, it would be your go-to pair of neutral wedges. High-heeled shoes that go with everything and are easy to walk in? Sign us up. 

These DSW shoes can be paired with any outfit and they're just the right price.

Steve Madden Wedges from DSW, $59.95

Strappy Sandals

The strappy sandal has become a closet staple. When you can easily wear a pair of shoes to the office and the hottest vacation spots, you've got a clear winner. 

The studs on these Sole Society shoes can give your classic pair a bit of an edge, while still being feminine.  

Strappy Sandals from Sole Society, $99.95

Classic Mules

Who knew a shoe named after an animal could be so chic? Easy to slip on in a pinch, mules are an effortless way to enhance your street style.

We've been eyeing these Steve Madden shoes over the years, but it looks like this spring they're back and better than ever. 

Steve Madden Mules from DSW, $69.95

In February, t-shirt, sun-on-your-skin weather came early in states from Illinois to New York. Now, midway through March, Americans across the East Coast are trudging through snow banks in boots and parkas.

In California, dirt that had dried to a fine dust after years of drought now feels wet and Earthy underfoot. A barrage of rainstorms have caused the state's lakes and reservoirs, once dangerously low, to rise enough to threaten dams and surrounding communities.

It's been a very weird winter in the US. So much so, in fact, that it's easy to lose track of all the bizarre, historic stuff going on.

So here's a list.

SEE ALSO: This week's bizarre East Coast snowstorm is a symptom of Earth's new freak seasons

At weather stations across the US, record-breaking warm temperatures defined February. In total, 11,743 daily records were set due to the winter month's strange heat.

Source: NOAA

1,151 of those daily temperature records were also monthly records, which means that they didn't just break the record for the day they happened, but for the whole month of February.

Source: NOAA

Compared to normal winter temperatures this February, nearly 70% of the US was deemed "very warm"— that is, in the top 10% of all time temperatures — according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Source: NOAA

We all define "success" differently, but most 20-somethings probably associate it with happiness, good health, a strong social network, and a well-balanced life.

According to experts, how you spend your downtime plays a huge part in your ability to achieve these things.

"If you take time to recharge and pay attention to fitness and your diet, for example, after work or on weekends, you'll set the stage for great life habits that put you at the top of your game at the office," says Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and author of "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job."

She continued:

"It's self-perpetuating. A healthy mind and body help you do your best work. Knowing that you are achieving great results at the office further encourages you to relax and follow your passions during your leisure time — which creates a work-life balance and positive outlook in all your endeavors."

Here are 18 things successful 20-somethings do in their downtime:

SEE ALSO: 15 hobbies highly successful people practice in their spare time

DON'T MISS: 13 hobbies that look great on your résumé, and one that doesn't

They spend time with family and friends

When they're working or going to school, it's hard for people to give focused attention to those they care about, Taylor says. That's why they make an effort to check in with friends and family during their downtime.

They exercise

Many successful people thrive on good health and seek a natural adrenaline rush, such as a regular fitness program or even extreme sports.

"You can go cycling, hiking, kayaking, snow boarding, surfing, scuba diving, and, for the extreme sports lovers, there's bungee jumping and a host of other options," Taylor says.

They learn something new

Successful 20-somethings are typically intellectually curious, seek to remain well-read, and surf the internet constantly for the truth, Taylor says.

"They don't take much at face value, as the last 10 to 15 years of world events have underscored the need for them to question things that prior generations were more apt to accept," she says.

Consumer aviation website Skytrax has published its latest annual World Airport Awardsand for the fifth consecutive year, Singapore's Changi International Airport took home the crown as the world's best airport. The facility serves as one of Southeast Asia's largest transit hubs and is a major cog in the city-state's bustling economy.

"Winning the Skytrax World’s Best Airport Award for the fifth consecutive year is an immense encouragement to our 50,000-strong airport community at Changi Airport, every one of whom is passionate about delivering the most memorable airport experience to our passengers," Changi Airport Group CEO Lee Seow Hiang said in a statement. "This recognition affirms our service belief which we have held steadfast all these years - putting passengers at the heart of all we do."

The Skytrax annual rankings are based on the impressions of nearly 14 million flyers from 105 countries. More than 550 airports were included in the survey, which covers 39 service and performance parameters, including facility comfort, location of bathrooms, and the language skills of the airport staff.

Here's a closer look at the other airports that made it to the top of the prestigious Skytrax list.

SEE ALSO: Qatar Airways' swanky new seats will revolutionize business travel

15. Copenhagen Airport (CPH)

Yearly passengers: 26.6 million

Previous rank: 18

Why it's awesome: Copenhagen is one of the busiest hubs in Northern Europe and is a major base of operations for Scandinavian Airlines and Norwegian Air Shuttle.

Skytrax reviewers lauded the airport for its clearly placed signs and the efficient, though sometimes crowded, facilities. 

Source: Skytrax World Airport Awards. Yearly passenger figure is for 2015, provided by Copenhagen Airport.

14. Tokyo Narita International Airport (NRT)

Yearly passengers: 39.1 million

Previous rank: 11

Why it's awesome: Narita is the first of the two Tokyo airports to appear on the list. Located 35 miles outside of Japanese capital, Narita handles the majority of the international traffic going in and out of the city. The airport serves as a major hub for ANA, Japan Airlines, Delta, and United.

Skytrax reviewers lauded the airport for its efficient and friendly staff, clean facilities, and abundant dining options.

Source: Skytrax World Airport Awards. Yearly passenger figure is for 2016, provided by Narita International Airport.

13. Vancouver International Airport (YVR)

Yearly passengers: 22.3 million

Previous rank: 14

Why it's great: Vancouver takes home the prize as the top ranked airport in North America for the eight year in a row, and for good reason. Customer reviewers on Skytrax cited YVR's friendly staff, high level of organization, and easy access to downtown Vancouver as some of the best things about the airport.

Vancouver International also boasts a floatplane terminal, as well as a sizable collection of art from the Pacific Northwest.

Source: Skytrax World Airport Awards. Yearly passenger figures are final rankings for 2016 provided by Vancouver International Airport.

Although in the moment they might seem larger than life, interviewers are people just like you.

That means they're susceptible to the same psychological preferences and cognitive biases that affect the rest of us. Simple tweaks to the way you speak and hold yourself can make you seem much more likable, competent, and hirable in their eyes.

With that in mind, we rounded up a list of easy strategies to forge a connection with your interviewer and boost your chances of landing the job.

SEE ALSO: 28 surprising things that affect whether you get hired

1. Schedule your interview around 10:30 a.m. on a Tuesday

According to Glassdoor, the "best" time to arrange an interview is the time that's best for the interviewer — not the time that's best for you.

So if the hiring manager offers you some flexibility in choosing an interview time, ask if you could come in around 10:30 a.m. on a Tuesday. That's likely when your interviewer is relatively relaxed.

In general, you should avoid early-morning meetings because your interviewer may still be preoccupied with everything they need to get done that day. You'll also want to avoid being the last meeting of the workday, as your interviewer may already be thinking about what they need to accomplish at home.

2. Don't interview on the same day as the strongest candidates

Research suggests that interviewers base their evaluations of individual candidates on who else they've interviewed that day.

One study, from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University, found that applicants who interviewed at the end of a day after a series of strong candidates were rated lower than expected. On the other hand, those who interviewed after a series of weak candidates were rated higher than expected.

It's not clear whether this is an unconscious phenomenon, or whether interviewers are consciously rating the last candidates higher or lower than they should because they don't want their supervisors to think they're giving everyone the same ratings.

Either way, if you have any knowledge of who else is interviewing and when, choose to come in after comparatively unqualified candidates.

3. Match the color of your outfit to the image you want to project

A CareerBuilder survey of hiring managers and human-resources professionals found that different clothing colors convey distinct impressions.

Twenty-three percent of interviewers recommended wearing blue, which suggests that the candidate is a team player, while 15% recommended black, which suggests leadership potential.

Meanwhile, 25% said orange is the worst color to wear, and suggests that the candidate is unprofessional.

Here's what other colors indicate:

Gray: logical/analytical

White: organized

Brown: dependable

Red: power

With the NCAA Tournament about to begin, the NBA world will be watching several of the top prospects.

In what's considered a deep draft by experts, several college players can improve their NBA standing with a strong March Madness showing.

Unfortunately, much like last year, the top consensus pick, Markelle Fultz, will not be in the tournament. But several other point guards and versatile forwards will highlight the games, with NBA teams eyeing who they'd like to take with their draft picks.

To get feel of the top prospects heading into the draft, we collected the consensus picks from six experts, then used average draft position to rank them.

Our experts: ESPN's Chad Ford, DraftExpress' Jonathan Givony, CBS's Gary Parrish, SI's Andrew Sharp, Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman, and NBADraft.net.

Check out the top prospects below:

1. Markelle Fultz (PG, Washington)

Average rank: 1

Top 30s*: 6

Highest rank: 1

One thing to know: Despite missing the NCAA Tournament and missing games with a knee injury, Fultz has declared he'll enter the NBA Draft and still is considered the top prospect for his well-rounded game.

* Experts with this player in the first round. 

2. Lonzo Ball (PG, UCLA)

Average rank: 2.5

Top 30s: 6

Highest rank: 2

One thing to know: Ball has perhaps the best court vision and deep accuracy in college basketball, but there is some concern over his funky shooting motion, which he says works for him.

3. Josh Jackson (G, Kansas)

Average rank: 2.8

Top 30s: 6

Highest rank: 2

One thing to know: Jackson is expected to play in the NCAA Tournament after serving a suspension for several off-court incidents, including allegedly kicking a woman's car and causing damage and fleeing the scene after hitting a parked car while driving.

Everything around us is becoming connected. As a result, we are seeing shifts in investments and returns. There is already a great demand for network expansion, cyber security and insurance. And generally, the prices of hardware will fall as IoT becomes less of a novelty.

All of this opens up a huge opportunity for everyone to make and save a lot of money. We will invest $6 trillion in IoT between 2015 and 2020, which will yield $12.6 trillion ROI over the next decade. Enterprise will make up the majority of the investment dollars, followed by government and consumer.

BI Intelligence has created a slide deck exploring the most disruptive trends in IoT. To get a more detailed view of the progression, landscape and projections of the Internet of Everything, access the complete slide deck by clicking here.

Some of the topics covered include:

• The market drivers for the IoT.
• Forecasts for the IoT market.
• A breakdown of how many industries are utilizing IoT devices.
• A look at how governments are using the IoT to revolutionize their cities and defense.
• An examination of the smart home and connected car market.
• And much more.

Below are 8 sample slides from the 60-page deck. Want the full deck? Access it here for FREE >>

Want the full 60-page slide deck?  Access it Here - FREE >>

Want the full 60-page slide deck?  Access it Here - FREE >>

Want the full 60-page slide deck?  Access it Here - FREE >>

Before San Francisco was a bustling tech hub, before it was the center of the hippie universe, and before it became known for its lush hills, much of the area was covered in sand dunes.

Golden Gate Park, the 1,000-acre green space south of the famous bridge, is located on what was once the largest sand dune ecosystem in the western hemisphere. These dunes spanned seven miles, essentially the entire width of modern-day San Francisco.

About two square miles of dunes still exist today, but the Bay Area has evolved a great deal since then.

Take a look at the maps, paintings, and historical photographs that show the journey of San Francisco.

SEE ALSO: Amazing images of New York City before it was a city

San Francisco's first residents, members of the Yelamu tribe, began inhabiting the area around 3000 BC. Approximately 150 to 300 people lived in the boundaries of modern-day San Francisco, though they also roamed to neighboring sites.

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

A group of Spanish explorers, led by Don Gaspar de Portolà, arrived there in 1769. This was the first documented European visit to the San Francisco Bay.

At the time, sand dunes stretched for about seven miles from east to west.

Source: San Francisco Department of the Environment

I've owned the Nintendo Switch for only two weeks, but I'm already smitten. This is easily my favorite piece of new tech in 2017 and my favorite Nintendo console ever.

It's not perfect by any means, but this unusual piece of hardware has already changed the way I live, and it has brought me closer to my fiancée, who before the Switch's arrival was never into modern video-game consoles. What's more, this little system has tremendous potential to do even more in the future.

Here's what I mean:

SEE ALSO: The 5 best reasons you should buy a Nintendo Switch

DON'T MISS: The 50 hottest video games you shouldn't miss in 2017

On Friday, March 3, I picked up my Nintendo Switch from Best Buy — with a copy of "Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild," of course — before heading home from work.

I preordered the Switch the night it was announced — I'm a longtime Nintendo fan, and having followed rumors for years about Nintendo's mysterious "NX" console, I believed Nintendo would correct many of the mistakes it made with the underwhelming Wii U, a game console I bought and, sadly, returned a year later.

When I got home with the Switch on that first night, I couldn't wait to set up the console. My fiancée was less excited at first — she doesn’t play video games nearly as much as I do, and she hadn’t heard much about the Switch — but that changed as soon as we turned on the console.

The ability to create a customizable avatar changed my fiancée's mind on the Switch almost immediately.

Everything about the Switch experience is user-friendly. My fiancée loved being able to create two separate accounts — she customized hers to her liking, with an avatar and background color — so we could each play certain games at our own pace.

In all honesty, she wanted the two of us to create a single profile on the Switch, but since I wanted to have my own "Zelda" adventure, she was nice enough to accommodate my selfish desires.

When it comes to convenience stores, many believe Sheetz has no equal. 

The chain has been locked in fierce rivalry with Wawa for decades, with no signs of letting up as the two premium gas station brands bring out all the stops to win customers over. 

Looking for answers, we decided to visit Sheetz country and came to a vastly different conclusion than its most fervent defenders. 

Here's how Sheetz fails to live up to its lofty reputation:

SEE ALSO: We visited convenience-store rivals Wawa and Sheetz to see which does it better — and the winner is clear

We arrived at a Sheetz location in Easton, Pennsylvania, intrigued by the reputation that precedes it, yet skeptical nonetheless.

Walking inside, we were immediately impressed by the cleanly glitz and glamour. Sheetz is bright, colorful, organized, and supersized.

Suddenly we're seeing why this chain with more than 500 locations in six states is seen as a worthy adversary to Wawa. The store is expansive and has an indoor dining area, something most Wawas don't have.

Once the tallest building in New York City, the Woolworth Building is a historic landmark. Completed in 1913, the building was equipped to maintain its own electricity, heat, subway entrance, and barber shop. With past tenants such as Nikola Tesla and the Manhattan Project — the team that helped develop the atomic bombs during World War II — the building has been beloved by historians and New Yorkers for decades.

After the building's observation deck closed during World War II, the building was closed to tourists until 2013. Even now, access is somewhat limited.

But this week, Alchemy Properties revealed photos of two of the 33 brand-new luxury condos that are a part of the years-long conversion on the building's 29th through 58th floors. While not ready for move-in just yet, there will be one-bedroom condos available for $4.575 million, two-bedroom units for $7.2 million, and full-floor residences for $26.4 million. Previous reports by Curbed NY pegged the penthouse listing price at $110 million.

Luckily, Untapped Cities has given a handful of tours inside the building to show what it's like after all these years. A couple of months ago, we joined them for a tour that included an exclusive look at the basement. Below, learn about the building's historic past and check out the new photos of its luxury condos. 

Jack Sommer contributed reporting to a previous version of this article.

SEE ALSO: New York's tallest rental skyscraper will have a rock-climbing wall, library, and basketball court

The entrance to the lobby of the Woolworth Building faces Broadway, in New York's trendy Tribeca neighborhood.

Once inside, we were greeted by our tour guide, Roy Suskin, who serves as the building's manager.

F.W. Woolworth earned millions from his chain of five-and-dime stores between 1879 and 1913. He used his newfound wealth to pay for the building and its flourishes.

The Tesla of scooters is ramping up its presence in Europe. 

The Taiwanese startup Gogoro announced this week that it plans to grow its fleet of shared scooters in Berlin to 1,000 vehicles by April 1.

The startup originally expanded its electric scooter business beyond Taiwan and into Europe in August 2016 when it partnered with Coup, a subsidiary of Bosch, to create a scooter sharing program in the German capital. The program launched with 200 Gogoro Smartscooters, but the company is adding an additional 800 because of growing demand, a spokesperson for the company told Business Insider. 

The bikes are available for rent to any licensed person above 21 years old.

Here’s a closer look at some of the Smartscooter’s features. 

SEE ALSO: These superstar execs made more than $5 million selling business software last year

Gogoro’s Smartscooter is powered by a removable battery that gives it a range of 60 miles per charge — an impressive number for an all-electric bike.

Between the handlebars there's a digital dashboard that colorfully displays the rider’s stats.

If you own a Smartscooter, you can pair the electric vehicle with your smartphone to control certain features.

Let's face it, city life can be really expensive.

However, not all urban areas are alike. In fact, some cities are able to offer up both reasonable housing options and strong job opportunities.

Zillow and LinkedIn recently partnered up to figure out which US metropolises fit that bill.

LinkedIn's employment and salary data went toward figuring out which US cities had the strongest job markets. That information was combined with Zillow's median rent data and income tax rates. The result was of list of five cities where professionals can expect to take home over 45% of their paycheck (after taxes and rent).

Here are those five cities where you won't find yourself blowing through your paycheck every month.

Note: The hire rate refers to the share of adult professionals who landed a new job in the past year. Read the full methodology here. 

SEE ALSO: 5 cities attracting 20-somethings in droves

5. Minneapolis

Monthly disposable income (as a percentage): 45.9%

Monthly disposable income (in cash): $4,703

Hiring rate in 2016: 8.3%

4. Pittsburgh

Monthly disposable income (as a percentage): 55.3%

Monthly disposable income (in cash): $4,616

Hiring rate in 2016: 7.5%

3. Nashville

Monthly disposable income (as a percentage): 53.6%

Monthly disposable income (in cash): $4,195

Hiring rate in 2016: 7.1%

For many of us, a home is the biggest investment we'll ever make — yet most Americans are clueless about their home's value, including the things that can ruin it.

From unappealing renovations to an unfortunately placed sinkhole, numerous factors can devalue your greatest investment.

We've rounded up 13 threats that could dampen your home's value.

Kathleen Elkins contributed to a previous version of this story.

SEE ALSO: The No. 1 sign you can't afford to buy a home

DON'T MISS: 9 signs you can afford to buy a home — even if it doesn't feel like it

Sinkhole damage

While there's insurance coverage specifically for sinkhole damage in case your property is hit by one, they still hurt property values.

"It definitely stigmatizes the property," Rob Arnold, a Florida real-estate investor and realtor who has bought and sold more than 30 sinkhole properties in the last five years, told CF13 News. He tells owners of damaged homes to knock 30% off their asking price, plus the cost of any repairs.

City dumps and power plants

When researchers looked at five municipal landfills near residential property in Cleveland, Ohio, they found the stench was enough to drag down property values by 5.5% to 7.3%. Landfills are most hurtful in populated, expensive, residential areas. The effect was basically nonexistent in sparse, rural areas.

Likewise, the University of California at Berkeley found that homes within 2 miles of a power plant drop 3% to 7% in value.

Hoarders or messy neighbors

If your neighbors' homes and yards look sloppy, home shoppers tend to put a lower value on your home.

A nearby property's overgrown yard, peeling paint, and clutter can easily knock 5% to 10% off the sale price of your home, Joe Magdziarz, president of the Appraisal Institute and a real-estate appraiser with 40 years of experience, told MSN Money.

It's no secret that Donald Trump dislikes a lot of things. He makes it known on Twitter.

Last year, The New York Times compiled"the 319 people, places, and things Trump has insulted on Twitter" (though that number has grown since then). Among them were the paper of record itself, Hillary Clinton, the Tony-winning musical "Hamilton," 20-time Oscar-nominated actress Meryl Streep, and retail giants like Macy's and Amazon.

A group of anonymous activists have decided this makes him a bully. On March 16, they launched the "Block the Bully" campaign, and an application that automatically un-follows and blocks Trump on Twitter. Users can then choose to share the campaign with their Twitter followers, and explain why they did it.

Anyone can un-follow Trump at any time without an app. But "Block the Bully's" creators hope the effort will turn into a widespread movement.

"Of Trump’s 26 million Twitter followers, fewer than half actually voted for him. The majority are people like us — citizens who want to see what our president is up to and, candidly, can’t look away from what we perceive as the train wreck that his is presidency so far," they said in a press release. "But what if we did look away? What if tomorrow Donald Trump woke up and saw his following cut in half?"

Here's how "Block the Bully" works.

SEE ALSO: A new site lets you find videos of almost anything your local lawmakers have said

A group of anonymous activists (who say they work in tech and entertainment) launched the Block the Bully campaign on March 16. The team calls itself "the Resistance."

To get started, participants need to make sure they're signed into Twitter. Then they go to the Block the Bully site, and click the "connect" button.

Source: Block the Bully

Once they authorize the app, it automatically un-follows Trump, and blocks him (meaning they won't see any of his tweets on their feeds, and he can't reply or DM them).

The INSIDER Summary:

• Your bedroom should be your sanctuary, so you should feel cozy and at home whenever you're in it.
• Try switching out the lighting to brighten up your room more.
• Reading nooks create a space just for winding down with a book.

Even though you sometimes use your bed as a desk and leave piles of clothes on the floor, you think of your bedroom as a sanctuary. And it should be, dammit. That’s why we pulled together seven super easy ways to up the coziness.

Make a reading nook

You don’t have to have an actual “nook” to pull this off. Just find a corner of your bedroom and attach a couple of floating shelves to the wall. (These ones from IKEA should do.) After that, all you need is a cozy chair. (Velvet optional.) 

And institute a "no phones" policy

Banning phones from the bedroom will make you calmer (late-night-internet-scrolling is the worst) and keep your room a cord-free zone. Shell out for an old-fashioned alarm clock. Beats being woken up in the middle of the night by a push notification announcing that Amal’s having twins.

Switch out the lighting

Bedroom goals: To create a lighting scheme that’s adjustable and casts a low and soft glow. This can be achieved one of two ways—investing in bedside lamps with a dimmer switch or simply replacing the bulbs. (40 watts is ideal.)

Do you consider yourself a money-conscious person? Do you wait for your favorite brands to go on sale? Do you confidently say, "I don't need this" to every piece of decor at Target?

Good for you! You're probably still wasting your money.

The internet is littered with money-saving tip lists, most of which aren't very helpful.

OK, this article is yet another a list of money-saving tips, but we're not going to tell you to spend hours clipping coupons, or to swap hot showers for cold.

We're not going to tell you to stop buying toys for your kids because "imagination is everything," and we're definitely not going to tell you to start buying box wine, or stop leaving your house, or do anything that forces you to make ANY sacrifices in order to save money. 

That's just not what we're about. Instead, we're going to point out some ways you can make adjustments to your spending without missing out on any of the things you enjoy.

The hardest habits to break are the ones we don't even know we have. Here are 25ways you are probably spending too much without realizing it.

SEE ALSO: 8 places Americans spend a ridiculous amount of money

You still don't have Amazon prime

I thought I would get this one out of the way first. If you are "that guy" at the dinner party who awkwardly does not have anything to contribute to conversations about the luxury of having Amazon Prime, it's time to join up. "But how can I be wasting my money by NOT spending $99 on a Prime membership?" you are wondering.

If you're worried about the cost, consider this: Your Amazon Prime membership will nearly pay for itself if you just buy paper towels and toilet paper on Amazon. You can have 12 huge rolls of Bounty Paper Towels delivered every 2 months for $22.79, saving you at least $60/year in comparison to the lowest price at other online retailers, and getting 32 rolls of Cottonelle Toilet Paper delivered every 2 months for $20.89 will save you about another $24.

Plus, there's the convenience factor of having these bulky items delivered to you automatically at set intervals. And that's just the tip of the iceberg with regards to the money-saving benefits of having a Prime account, which include free 2-day shipping on everything, access to a library of free music and movies, free 2-hour delivery in many locations, and more, which Brad's Deals blogger Caroline Thompson explored in her recent article, 8 Reasons Why I Love My Amazon Prime Membership.

You have not yet bought sandals or a swimsuit for summer

While new Spring styles are hitting stores now, there's still time to save on last year's warm-weather gear at some of the deepest discounts we've seen yet. Start browsing clearance sites for your summer apparel now. You can save up to 80 percent at 6pm, and there are thousands of styles to choose from.

You are planning to buy a Smart TV

There are plenty of streaming devices at low prices (we've seen both the Amazon Fire Stick and Google Chromecast for as low as $25). Be sure to check the price difference between the Smart TV you're eyeing and the comparable model without Smart features. Sometimes, you'll find a really great discount, but don't assume you're getting more bang for your buck.

Maybe you've heard: There's a big new "Mass Effect" game launching next week.

"Mass Effect," if you're unfamiliar, is one of the most popular game trilogies of all-time — the first game launched in 2007, while the trilogy concluded in 2012. In the original trilogy, you play as Commander Shepard, a man or woman (depending on your choice) charged with saving the galaxy from powerful aliens and sentient machines bent on destroying it.

This new game, "Mass Effect: Andromeda," features a completely new cast of characters, and takes place hundreds of years in the future. Many of the alien races remain the same, but this time, you've left Earth and are leading a team looking for a new home for humanity.

I've only played a few hours of "Mass Effect: Andromeda," so I can't judge the entire game based off my experiences thus far — but while I sometimes like what the game is offering, there are too many occasions that make me frustrated for one reason or another. And as I play, I've been taking notes on what issues have been bugging me since I first booted up the game earlier this week. Take a look:

SEE ALSO: The $300 Nintendo Switch has been great for my relationship

1. Facial animations are abysmal.

Now, the original "Mass Effect" games weren't exactly known for their stellar character models and facial animations, but despite "Andromeda" being released roughly a decade after the original trilogy, conversations and dialogue feel more rigid and plasticky than they've ever felt.

Mind you, I didn't go replay all three "Mass Effect" games before jumping into "Andromeda," but having played "Horizon Zero Dawn" and "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" recently, the facial animations in this game feel woefully behind the competition.

Mind you, most of the game is beautiful. Settings and aliens are done exceedingly well.

But human facial animations aren't a big deal for most video games — this is a "Mass Effect" game, where the real star of the show is the dialogue. Conversations — informative, dramatic, or humorous — have been the staple of the series, and unfortunately, the robotic-looking facial animations too often take me out of the experience.

2. Movement in the game is also frustrating.

Walking around in "Mass Effect: Andromeda" takes some getting used to. You can walk slowly or run in a full sprint, but this game also introduces the feeling of inertia, where you'll continue moving forward even if you stop moving the joystick on your controller. Maybe it's more realistic-looking, but in gameplay terms, it leads to imprecise actions and unwanted movements — you'll get dangerously close to cliffs, for instance, or too close to other characters you just want to talk to. Again, it takes me out of the game.

3. I just don't care about the characters.

Without spoiling anything, you play as a new character (man or woman) named Ryder, the son/daughter of your military's Pathfinder (sort of a "Chosen One" type). After a few events unfold early on in the game, you quickly gain the mantle of Pathfinder, which means you're in charge of finding a new home for humanity.

The downside: I just don't care.

Being the potential savior of human civilization sounds really exciting! But it just doesn't come through in "Andromeda." A ton of characters are introduced up front, but there's such little time to develop who they are that — when the pivotal moment comes, and the Pathfinder title is yours — I couldn't care less. It feels like a rushed action, when it should have felt much more momentous.

But that's just one example. The other characters I've met in my "Andromeda" journey also don't fascinate me in the same way as they did in past "Mass Effect" games, so I care less about the side missions as well. Perhaps I'll like these characters after more time spent with them. But, so far, it's really tough to care when the dialogue is flat and the plot is nakedly prosaic. 

After North Korea tested a salvo of ballistic missiles designed to defeat US and allied missile defenses in the Pacific, speculation has risen about a possible US decapitation strike on North Korea. 

With the help of Stratfor's Sim Tack, Business Insider detailed how such a strike would likely play out, but in the interest of keeping the article focused, we omitted a major player — China.

Here's how China would respond if the US were to attack the Hermit Kingdom.

SEE ALSO: US rejects China's plan to get North Korea to stop developing nukes

China has interests in preserving the North Korean state, but not enough to start World War III over.

China may not endorse North Korea's nuclear threats towards the US, South Korea, and Japan, or its abysmal human rights practices, but Beijing does have a vested interest in preventing reunification on the Korean peninsula.

Still, China's proximity to North Korea means that the US would likely alert Chinese forces of an attack — whether they gave 30 minutes or 30 days notice, the Chinese response would likely be to preclude — not thwart — such an attack.

China sees a united Korea as a potential threat.

"A united Korea is potentially very powerful, country right on China's border," with a functioning democracy, booming tech sector, and a Western bent, which represents "a problem they’d rather not deal with," according to Tack.

The US has more than 25,000 troops permanently stationed in South Korea, but no US asset has crossed the 38th parallel in decades. China would like to keep it that way. 

And without North Korea, China would find itself exposed.

For China, the North Korean state acts as a "physical buffer against US allies and forces," said Tack.

If the US could base forces in North Korea, they'd be right on China's border, and thereby better situated to contain China as it continues to rise as a world power. 

Tack said that China would "definitely react to and try to prevent" US action that could lead to a reunified Korea, but the idea that Chinese ground forces would flood into North Korea and fight against the West is "not particularly likely at all."